 view from our suite In June 2015, my husband and I visited Secrets Silversands for three nights before relocating north to Cancun for four nights at the luxurious and sophisticated Secrets the Vine. I had visited the resort in 2013 for on-site travel agent training in honeymoons and destination weddings, and had been anxious to return on vacation for quite some time. A complete review of our stay here will be posted to the "my travels" section of the website, but for now, here is a look at my vegan food consumption. Similar to the other Secrets resorts properties, Secrets the Vine offers a variety of dining venue options featuring cuisines from around the world: - Barefoot Grill (sandwiches and simple sides) - Bluewater Grill (grilled specialties) - Dragons Oriental Dining (Far East Cuisine) - Market Café (buffet for breakfast and lunch, Mexican restaurant at dinner) - Nebbiolo (Italian) - Olio (Mediterranean) - Sea Salt Grill (grilled items, seafood) - The Vine Bazaar (coffee, pastries, small sandwiches, fresh fruit) Breakfast at the resort was a similar experience to other all-inclusives I have visited: the vegan options readily available included cereal (request soy milk from your server), toast with jam and peanut butter, a wide array of fresh fruit, and many freshly prepared juices. I am always fine sticking with the basics, but ultimately fell in love with my creative buffet concoction of steamed rice, soy milk, dried fruit, granola, and fresh fruit on the side. It was filling and delicious - the perfect combination to fuel me for a day of turning pages in my book while enjoying a sea breeze. (Yes, we were rather lazy on this vacation.)  Lunch in the buffet was suitable for vegans, and the staff was willing to make special preparations if necessary. I absolutely loved the salad bar at this resort with its assorted vegetable and fruit Carpaccio and many flavored oils and vinegars. Items on the buffet were labeled with their main ingredients, and each day many single-serve specialty salads were available for sampling. Sautéed veggies and pasta can be requested from the made-to-order station in addition to the premade foods available.
Dinner options were plentiful, and we chose to dine at the following restaurants during our four-night stay: Dragons (twice), Mexican, and Nebbiolo. The quality and presentation of the meals were remarkable, and I dare say these dinners might be the best I have experienced at a resort in Mexico. Dragons Oriental Dining - Far East Cuisine |
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Pictured above: vegetable spring rolls, green papaya salad, vegetable sushi, green curry tofu served with steamed white rice, tofu and noodles with vegetables and peanut sauce
Nebbiolo - Italian
I was able to order directly from the menu with simple modifications made to a couple of dishes.
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Pictured above: flatbread pizza appetizer adapted to be made without cheese or butter, pasta with arrabiata sauce
Not pictured: The restaurant features a self-serve antipasta and salad bar that was incredible - I made myself a nice salad with various olives, vegetables, and flavored oil and vinegar alongside freshly baked bread.
Not pictured: The restaurant features a self-serve antipasta and salad bar that was incredible - I made myself a nice salad with various olives, vegetables, and flavored oil and vinegar alongside freshly baked bread.
Market Café - Mexican
I was brought a vegetarian menu that I easily adapted to remove the dairy products.
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Pictured above: hominy and radish salad (which arrived looking quite different than described on the menu), vegetarian enchiladas with both red and green sauce because I couldn't decide
My husband (a part-time vegan) and I were both thoroughly impressed with the quality and presentation of our meals at each restaurant we tried. Upon visiting our restaurant for the evening, we were asked about dietary restrictions or allergies before being seated, so I always had a nice segue into mentioning my vegan diet. The servers passed any questions we had along to the chefs, and I felt confident about the food I was eating because of this. Secrets Resorts, among their many fantastic qualities, really shine as a resort brand that is friendly for vegans.
If you are a vegan who visited a Secrets resort, please contact me to let me know about your dining experiences - I always enjoy hearing from fellow travelers! If you are thinking of planning an upcoming vacation, let me assist you with your travel arrangements!
If you are a vegan who visited a Secrets resort, please contact me to let me know about your dining experiences - I always enjoy hearing from fellow travelers! If you are thinking of planning an upcoming vacation, let me assist you with your travel arrangements!
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For those of you keeping tabs on my vegan-friendly mainstream vacations, you have probably already read and thoroughly enjoyed my previous blog post describing my dining experiences at Secrets Silversands in May 2014. For the rest of you, click here for Round 1.
Eating delicious vegan food has become one of my favorite pastimes while visiting the lovely Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The friendly and accommodating staff always ensures I have meals at both the buffet (breakfast and lunch) and a la carte restaurants (dinner), so I never worry about finding plant-powered options.
Breakfast: Breakfast in the World Café does not feature an incredible variety of foods suitable for vegans, but there are certainly items available for a filling and nutritious breakfast. I generally ate toast with peanut butter and jam (or both if I was gettin' crazy), cereal with soy milk (ask for it because it is not with the dairy milks) and large plates of fruit. Vegetarian beans, salsa, and guacamole over toast makes for a nice meal, or you can take advantage of the made-to-order smoothie bar which offers approximately 25 varying fruits and vegetables to be blended with juice or soy milk. The staff offered to prepare something special for me each morning, but I was quite content with my basic breakfasts.
Breakfast: Breakfast in the World Café does not feature an incredible variety of foods suitable for vegans, but there are certainly items available for a filling and nutritious breakfast. I generally ate toast with peanut butter and jam (or both if I was gettin' crazy), cereal with soy milk (ask for it because it is not with the dairy milks) and large plates of fruit. Vegetarian beans, salsa, and guacamole over toast makes for a nice meal, or you can take advantage of the made-to-order smoothie bar which offers approximately 25 varying fruits and vegetables to be blended with juice or soy milk. The staff offered to prepare something special for me each morning, but I was quite content with my basic breakfasts.
 fresh fruit is always available in the buffet |  fruit and veggie options for the smoothie bar |
Lunch: Lunch in the World Café is easier, with many more dishes readily available along the buffet line and various prep stations. Several of the grilled vegetable sides were prepared without butter (consult the staff to find out which ones are okay to eat) so on our first day I dished up a generous portion of rice (oil only I was told, vegetarian-friendly as well) partnered with just about each veggie side I could eat. On the second day, the chef offered to create something special just for me, so I decided to accept and enjoy whatever came through the kitchen doors. I was presented with an incredibly tasty bean and vegetable burrito accompanied by roasted corn and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. I jazzed it up with some pico de gallo, guacamole, and lettuce and proceeded to die over each bite. Even my omni husband was jealous of my lunch - he loved the single taste I was willing to share. I enjoyed this dish so much I requested the same meal for our final afternoon at the resort.
The salad bar is well-stocked, and even the creatively-challenged vegan can design a gigantic salad masterpiece for lunch. Go for the balsamic, and add a splash of olive oil if you are into that sort of thing. The pasta bar should also be safe, but make sure to specify that the chef does not add butter to your dish and double check to make sure the noodles are egg-free. A plain tomato sauce and several vegetables make a this a complete veggie entrée.
The salad bar is well-stocked, and even the creatively-challenged vegan can design a gigantic salad masterpiece for lunch. Go for the balsamic, and add a splash of olive oil if you are into that sort of thing. The pasta bar should also be safe, but make sure to specify that the chef does not add butter to your dish and double check to make sure the noodles are egg-free. A plain tomato sauce and several vegetables make a this a complete veggie entrée.
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Dinner: Go get cleaned up and men, put on your closed-toe shoes, because it is time to feast at one of the imaginative and delicious restaurants of Secrets Silversands. With no reservations necessary and generally very short wait times (if any), dining at Secrets Resorts couldn't be easier. Options at Silversands include Portofino (Italian), Ratatouille (Mediterranean), Himitsu (Pan-Asian), El Patio (Mexican), Bordeaux (French), Oceana (seafood), and Seaside Grill (seafood and grilled favorites) so there is truly a cuisine for everyone. We only had three nights at Secrets Silversands (we relocated to Secrets the Vine for four nights afterwards), so we chose to dine at Ratatouille, Portofino, and El Patio. My husband is courteous in that he tries to stick to places that will more easily cater to my vegan needs, although I am confident that each restaurant, regardless of theme, would gladly accommodate.
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Ratatouille
~ Salad featuring various olives and vegetables, vinaigrette, and a truffle sorbet that my taste buds couldn't quite get on board with
~ Simple, yet extremely flavorful entrée of vegetables prepared in a tomato sauce (one of the best sauces I have ever tasted)
~ Salad featuring various olives and vegetables, vinaigrette, and a truffle sorbet that my taste buds couldn't quite get on board with
~ Simple, yet extremely flavorful entrée of vegetables prepared in a tomato sauce (one of the best sauces I have ever tasted)
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Portofino
- Salad, in a deconstructed sort of presentation, with half an avocado covering a small heaping of bruchetta - my only complaint was that it was difficult to eat on such a narrow plate
- Stuffed mushrooms with assorted mushrooms and vegetables with baked bread crumbs on top, grilled endive, and a white beans and greens side
- Salad, in a deconstructed sort of presentation, with half an avocado covering a small heaping of bruchetta - my only complaint was that it was difficult to eat on such a narrow plate
- Stuffed mushrooms with assorted mushrooms and vegetables with baked bread crumbs on top, grilled endive, and a white beans and greens side
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El Patio (was able to order directly from menu with just a couple of dairy-removals!)
- Salad with crispy vegetables that was almost too pretty to eat (almost)
- Plain steamed rice to accompany my entrée, served with my beloved pickled Yucatecan onions
- Vegetable mocajetes (omit cheese) served with tortillas to make little tacos
- Assorted sorbet flavors with fruit (I was stuffed, but the chef really wanted me to have dessert)
- Salad with crispy vegetables that was almost too pretty to eat (almost)
- Plain steamed rice to accompany my entrée, served with my beloved pickled Yucatecan onions
- Vegetable mocajetes (omit cheese) served with tortillas to make little tacos
- Assorted sorbet flavors with fruit (I was stuffed, but the chef really wanted me to have dessert)
The Sugar Reef has snacks and burgers available during the day near the pool area, and while most of the items are not vegan-friendly, there are chips with salsa and guacamole, French fries, and carrots and celery.
CoCo Café in the main building has soy milk so you can enjoy coffee beverages.
Secrets Silversands continues to be one of our favorite adult-only, all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the quality and presentation of the food exceeds many of the other resorts we have visited. Knowing that I will be able to eat wonderful meals away from home makes the vacation even more enjoyable, and I thank the attentive staff for their help. A special thank you to: Chef Enrique, Chef Jesus, Pamela, Miriam, Elena, Enya, Edith, Renan, Mauricio, Juan, and Victor. Pamela especially looked out for me in the World Café, so if you are visiting the resort, be sure to say hello! She is so kind and helpful, and we really appreciated her service.
CoCo Café in the main building has soy milk so you can enjoy coffee beverages.
Secrets Silversands continues to be one of our favorite adult-only, all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the quality and presentation of the food exceeds many of the other resorts we have visited. Knowing that I will be able to eat wonderful meals away from home makes the vacation even more enjoyable, and I thank the attentive staff for their help. A special thank you to: Chef Enrique, Chef Jesus, Pamela, Miriam, Elena, Enya, Edith, Renan, Mauricio, Juan, and Victor. Pamela especially looked out for me in the World Café, so if you are visiting the resort, be sure to say hello! She is so kind and helpful, and we really appreciated her service.
| May 2014 Having both visited and stayed at other AMResorts properties, I was not at all concerned about my dietary needs during our three-night stay at Dreams Riviera Cancun, a family-friendly all-inclusive resort located approximately 25 minutes from the Cancun airport. My experiences with the resorts within this company have always been fantastic, and our three nights spent at Secrets Silversands prior to our arrival here further proved that dining like a vegan princess is possible when enjoying such a mainstream vacation. Before You Depart Making arrangements before traveling isn't necessary - I merely showed up at breakfast and lunch and was easily able to fend for myself with the many choices presented in the buffet, or sat down to dinner and spoke with the restaurant's chef to see what my options might be. The staff all speaks English well, so there shouldn't be any language barriers when working with the restaurants to find options, and since these resorts are more upscale, the chefs and supporting staff working in food service are quite knowledgeable about various dietary needs and restrictions. |  Dreams Riviera Cancun is lush and tropical.  The beautiful resort view from our balcony. |
My Apologies on the Photography Front...
My photography skills during this leg of the trip were sorely lacking - I often forgot my camera in the room, and when I took my camera with me I usually forgot to shoot anything other than what was on the plate in front of me...except for this lone shot of the fruit spread at the buffet in the World Cafe.
My photography skills during this leg of the trip were sorely lacking - I often forgot my camera in the room, and when I took my camera with me I usually forgot to shoot anything other than what was on the plate in front of me...except for this lone shot of the fruit spread at the buffet in the World Cafe.
 grilled veggie tacos |  fresh fruit |
Breakfast: My husband and I generally ate at Himitsu, which transforms daily from an Asian restaurant in the evening to an adults-only breakfast venue in the morning. The buffet is smaller here; however, you can also help yourself to the offerings at the main buffet in the World Café, although the offerings are more of the omelet/pancake/breakfast meat type. During our stay, my favorite breakfast quickly became grilled veggie soft tacos - once I had convinced the chef I didn't want eggs, we had a great chat in Spanish (I am fluent) about me being vegan. The veggies were prepared on the same surface as the eggs, but I was okay with that. I also enjoyed cereal with non-dairy milk and piles of fresh fruit.
 sushi and a spring roll |  veggie fajitas |
Lunch: I was extremely happy with my lunches while staying at Dreams Riviera Cancun because the buffet featured several made-to-order stations with veg-friendly options. I had a loaded veggie pizza baked without cheese, sushi and a spring roll, and vegetable fajitas during our stay. Since customization was such a breeze, I was always able to find options. The food was more simple than other adults-only resorts we have stayed at, but I actually preferred my lunches here because I had greater control over what I consumed without bothering too many staff members! (Although people are always happy to help, especially if you're friendly!) The extensive salad and fresh fruit offerings always bring a smile to my face in Mexico, and I usually topped off my meal with a gigantic salad or bowl of mixed fruit.
 fancy salad |  veg flatbread |  veg pasta |
 guac made tableside |  avocado salad |  veggie enchiladas |
Dinner: On our first night at Dreams Riviera Cancun we visited Portofino for an Italian feast because we hadn't yet dined at an Italian themed restaurant during this vacation (Secrets Silversands also has an Italian restaurant), and what a great decision that was! The chef came out to speak to me regarding my dietary needs and proceeded to fix me a three-course meal of some wonderfully flavorful Italian food. I started with a salad of eggplant, zucchini, tomato, and lettuce before moving on to a veggie flatbread and ending with a glorious bowl of veggie-heavy pasta. I cannot rave enough about this meal, and I was so pleased with the options presented to me.
On our second night, we had a later dinner at Himitsu because I hadn't been feeling well during much of the late evening. I barely ate, but did have some vegetable sushi which is usually a surefire win for me, but didn't impress me here. I did not take my camera with me to dinner because I was more focused on returning to our room to rest.
On our final night we visited El Patio for Mexican food, primarily because I cannot eat enough guacamole on vacation and the Mexican restaurant makes the really great stuff table-side at dinner. Again, I spoke with the servers and told them of my needs before ordering. We started with the guac and I also was served a salad with great flavor but a little too much oil for my liking. I then sampled an appetizer that remains a question mark, although it tasted quite a bit like a corn meal/veggie tamale of sorts. My entrée was similar to the appetizer in taste, but I believe it was a sort of veggie enchilada. All in all, another good meal.
Overall, I enjoyed a very good dining experience that was more simple in taste and presentation than other resorts I have visited, but still quite pleasurable. I would feel very comfortable recommending Dreams Riviera Cancun to vegetarians and vegans alike.
On our second night, we had a later dinner at Himitsu because I hadn't been feeling well during much of the late evening. I barely ate, but did have some vegetable sushi which is usually a surefire win for me, but didn't impress me here. I did not take my camera with me to dinner because I was more focused on returning to our room to rest.
On our final night we visited El Patio for Mexican food, primarily because I cannot eat enough guacamole on vacation and the Mexican restaurant makes the really great stuff table-side at dinner. Again, I spoke with the servers and told them of my needs before ordering. We started with the guac and I also was served a salad with great flavor but a little too much oil for my liking. I then sampled an appetizer that remains a question mark, although it tasted quite a bit like a corn meal/veggie tamale of sorts. My entrée was similar to the appetizer in taste, but I believe it was a sort of veggie enchilada. All in all, another good meal.
Overall, I enjoyed a very good dining experience that was more simple in taste and presentation than other resorts I have visited, but still quite pleasurable. I would feel very comfortable recommending Dreams Riviera Cancun to vegetarians and vegans alike.
Sunshine, blue skies, white sand...and vegan food!
 Secrets the Vine - Cancun, Mexico |  Secrets Silversands - Puerto Morelos, Mexico |
Last week we finalized our summer vacation plans and booked our air and resort stays; now the countdown to a much-needed escape has begun! It has been too long since our last passport stamps (July 2014) so we are ready to relax and enjoy two luxurious adults-only resorts in Mexico.
First - a return visit the incredible Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun for three nights. We spent time here last May and fell in love with the resort and staff of this fantastic destination, not to mention I was served some of the greatest, most imaginative vegan meals that have ever crossed these lips.
Then - we move to Secrets the Vine in Cancun for four nights. I have spent time touring the property as a travel agent, but this will be our first visit for a personal vacation. Because I have already experienced many great vegan meals with AMResorts, I know the staff will be attentive and helpful when preparing my meals.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram for posts throughout our vacation, and stay tuned to the website for full resort and dining reviews in June and July.
First - a return visit the incredible Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun for three nights. We spent time here last May and fell in love with the resort and staff of this fantastic destination, not to mention I was served some of the greatest, most imaginative vegan meals that have ever crossed these lips.
Then - we move to Secrets the Vine in Cancun for four nights. I have spent time touring the property as a travel agent, but this will be our first visit for a personal vacation. Because I have already experienced many great vegan meals with AMResorts, I know the staff will be attentive and helpful when preparing my meals.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram for posts throughout our vacation, and stay tuned to the website for full resort and dining reviews in June and July.
My complete review of dining at the Secrets Silversands resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico has already been posted, but you can also enjoy my soon-to-be famous at-a-glance dining reviews. Because hey, sometimes you just want to see exactly what a vegan has been eating on vacation.
Let's not judge the amount of guacamole consumed in three days.
Let's not judge the amount of guacamole consumed in three days.
| breakfast (buffet, served in the World Cafe) n/a vegetarian beans with guac and pico de gallo on rolls fresh fruit oatmeal prepared with water and toppings fresh juices cereal and soy milk vegetarian beans and toast fresh fruit | lunch (buffet, served in the World Cafe) large salad with a Mexican flair (kind of similar in style to what I eat at Chipotle) steamed broccoli and cauliflower vegetable stuffed zucchini with rice served with tortillas, guac, lettuce, and pico de gallo pasta loaded with vegetables and tomato sauce salad | dinner (various restaurants) El Patio (Mexican) fresh guacamole and chips fruit and veg salad veggie molcajetes w/ corn tortillas Ratatouille (Mediterranean) fruit and vegetable salad stuffed pepper grilled sweet potatoes Himitsu (Japanese) fried tofu green salad vegetarian sushi teppanyaki vegetables with rice |
infinity pool to the Caribbean My husband and I, in desperate need of a little rest and relaxation, planned a six-night stay in Riviera Maya, Mexico and divided our time between Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun and Dreams Riviera Cancun (dining at-a-glance and a full dining review coming soon for this resort), which are both owned by the same company, AMResorts. (Full vacation reviews will soon be posted here.) Because I have stayed at/visited all of the current resorts owned by this company in Cancun, Cozumel, and Riviera Maya, I wasn't too concerned about my vegan options - the resorts have always come through for me in the past.
Vegan Upon Arrival
I did not take any pre-vacation steps to notify the resort of my herbivore ways, and really, it is not necessary to do so. After checking in, I visited the concierge desk and spoke with the kind and helpful staff about my dietary needs. (They didn't even bat an eye.) I provided my room number so they could tag our reservation and they asked if we already knew where we might like to eat while staying at the resort...of course we did! Secrets resorts do not use a reservation system, so we just let them know as a courtesy where we planned on dining each evening so they could notify the chefs of each restaurant. We decided upon El Patio, Ratatouille, and Himitsu (Mexican, Mediterranean, and Pan-Asian), although other options were available as well. For breakfast and lunch, we would enjoy the World Cafe for some deliciously prepared buffet foods.
Vegan Upon Arrival
I did not take any pre-vacation steps to notify the resort of my herbivore ways, and really, it is not necessary to do so. After checking in, I visited the concierge desk and spoke with the kind and helpful staff about my dietary needs. (They didn't even bat an eye.) I provided my room number so they could tag our reservation and they asked if we already knew where we might like to eat while staying at the resort...of course we did! Secrets resorts do not use a reservation system, so we just let them know as a courtesy where we planned on dining each evening so they could notify the chefs of each restaurant. We decided upon El Patio, Ratatouille, and Himitsu (Mexican, Mediterranean, and Pan-Asian), although other options were available as well. For breakfast and lunch, we would enjoy the World Cafe for some deliciously prepared buffet foods.
 freshly prepared juices |  fresh fruit in abundance |  smoothies to order, soy milk available |
Breakfast
Breakfast was served buffet style in the World Cafe, and I was able to find options each morning even though I tend to stick to the same sorts of breakfast foods while on vacation. Options included vegetarian beans, fresh fruit, cereal with soy milk, oatmeal (prepared with water if you ask for it), made-to-order smoothies, toast, etc. One of my favorite breakfasts in Mexico is beans, pico de gallo and salsa on top of toast or rolls. With guacamole, of course. I didn't take many photos of my morning meals because let's face it, cereal and toast just aren't that photogenic.
Breakfast was served buffet style in the World Cafe, and I was able to find options each morning even though I tend to stick to the same sorts of breakfast foods while on vacation. Options included vegetarian beans, fresh fruit, cereal with soy milk, oatmeal (prepared with water if you ask for it), made-to-order smoothies, toast, etc. One of my favorite breakfasts in Mexico is beans, pico de gallo and salsa on top of toast or rolls. With guacamole, of course. I didn't take many photos of my morning meals because let's face it, cereal and toast just aren't that photogenic.
thank you, chef Lunch
We would head back to the World Cafe in the early afternoon, this time warmed by the sun and ready for lunch offerings to refuel for the day. I was presented with a couple of options for this meal: the chef was happy to prepare me a special vegan-friendly meal for me if I made arrangements at breakfast, or I just ate vegan-friendly food from the buffet on my own. I took the chef up on his offer for one lunch, but then was just fine on my own for the remainder of our stay. (I think. I might have had one snafu with some butter.) The buffet featured a theme each day - while we were there it was international, Mexican, and Italian, although really several cuisines were available regardless of the theme. The salad bar was quite nice, and I was wowed by the number of lettuce varieties in front of me. (I am pretty sure I was more excited about this lettuce than anyone else at the resort.) I was very happy throwing together a giant salad with rice, beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo - this was my first meal at the resort. On day two the chef made a vegetable-stuffed zucchini dish for me, and on our final day I enjoyed a made-to-order bowl of pasta (make sure you tell the chef no butter) with lots of vegetables and tomato sauce.
Dinner
To say I looked forward to my evening meals while at Secrets Silversands is an understatement - the chefs really went above and beyond to prepare some really incredible meals for me. Even my vegan-at-home-but-omni-elsewhere husband was ogling a few of my plates during this vacation.
AMResorts properties do not have a dinner reservation system, which is one of many things I love about their resorts - you just go eat when you are hungry! Awesome! During the prime time (7pm-9pm or so) you might have to wait just a bit, but we never experienced a problem while at the resort. There are several themed restaurants to choose from: Bordeaux (French), El Patio (Mexican), Himitsu (Pan-Asian), Oceana (seafood), Portofino (Italian), Ratatouille (Mediterranean), Seaside Grill (seafood). Each restaurant has vegetarian options or a vegetarian menu with items that can be veganized, or the chef is available to assist with a special meal prepared just for you.
I took several photos of my dinners, so let's just go night-by-night...
El Patio
Our first dinner was a really fantastic experience - the server could not have been friendlier (Silversands has an outstanding staff) and the chef came out to speak to me and present my options for appetizers, salads, and entrees...yes, options...plural. We started with freshly prepared guacamole and chips, and I also enjoyed a really delicious and inventive fruit salad. For my entree, I feasted upon vegetable molcajetes with corn tortillas.
We would head back to the World Cafe in the early afternoon, this time warmed by the sun and ready for lunch offerings to refuel for the day. I was presented with a couple of options for this meal: the chef was happy to prepare me a special vegan-friendly meal for me if I made arrangements at breakfast, or I just ate vegan-friendly food from the buffet on my own. I took the chef up on his offer for one lunch, but then was just fine on my own for the remainder of our stay. (I think. I might have had one snafu with some butter.) The buffet featured a theme each day - while we were there it was international, Mexican, and Italian, although really several cuisines were available regardless of the theme. The salad bar was quite nice, and I was wowed by the number of lettuce varieties in front of me. (I am pretty sure I was more excited about this lettuce than anyone else at the resort.) I was very happy throwing together a giant salad with rice, beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo - this was my first meal at the resort. On day two the chef made a vegetable-stuffed zucchini dish for me, and on our final day I enjoyed a made-to-order bowl of pasta (make sure you tell the chef no butter) with lots of vegetables and tomato sauce.
Dinner
To say I looked forward to my evening meals while at Secrets Silversands is an understatement - the chefs really went above and beyond to prepare some really incredible meals for me. Even my vegan-at-home-but-omni-elsewhere husband was ogling a few of my plates during this vacation.
AMResorts properties do not have a dinner reservation system, which is one of many things I love about their resorts - you just go eat when you are hungry! Awesome! During the prime time (7pm-9pm or so) you might have to wait just a bit, but we never experienced a problem while at the resort. There are several themed restaurants to choose from: Bordeaux (French), El Patio (Mexican), Himitsu (Pan-Asian), Oceana (seafood), Portofino (Italian), Ratatouille (Mediterranean), Seaside Grill (seafood). Each restaurant has vegetarian options or a vegetarian menu with items that can be veganized, or the chef is available to assist with a special meal prepared just for you.
I took several photos of my dinners, so let's just go night-by-night...
El Patio
Our first dinner was a really fantastic experience - the server could not have been friendlier (Silversands has an outstanding staff) and the chef came out to speak to me and present my options for appetizers, salads, and entrees...yes, options...plural. We started with freshly prepared guacamole and chips, and I also enjoyed a really delicious and inventive fruit salad. For my entree, I feasted upon vegetable molcajetes with corn tortillas.
 fresh guacamole is one of my vacation splurges |  beautiful and colorful fruit presentation |  check out these veggies! |
Ratatouille
The menu at Ratatouille did not really feature anything that I would be able to eat or modify, so I was a little nervous about my dining options. (If you've read my other posts, you know I am really sensitive about being a problem, even when I am a paying customer!) Again, the chef came out and spoke with me and I was soon enjoying one of the most delicious meals that has ever passed these lips. The citrus salad was extremely flavorful, and don't even get me started on the grilled sweet potatoes with balsamic that accompanied my stuffed pepper. I could have eaten a giant bowl.
The menu at Ratatouille did not really feature anything that I would be able to eat or modify, so I was a little nervous about my dining options. (If you've read my other posts, you know I am really sensitive about being a problem, even when I am a paying customer!) Again, the chef came out and spoke with me and I was soon enjoying one of the most delicious meals that has ever passed these lips. The citrus salad was extremely flavorful, and don't even get me started on the grilled sweet potatoes with balsamic that accompanied my stuffed pepper. I could have eaten a giant bowl.
 my favorite salad on this vacation |  vegan food as art |
Himitsu
No problems here, folks. The vegetarian menu had everything I needed and more, and I ate quite a bit of food on our last night at the resort. I started with a fried tofu appetizer, moved on to a green salad, sampled some vegetarian sushi, and ended with teppanyaki vegetables with rice.
No problems here, folks. The vegetarian menu had everything I needed and more, and I ate quite a bit of food on our last night at the resort. I started with a fried tofu appetizer, moved on to a green salad, sampled some vegetarian sushi, and ended with teppanyaki vegetables with rice.
 tofu appetizer |  salad, served Asian-style |  love my veg sushi |
Snacks and Treats
CoCo Cafe, the on-site coffee and snack shop has soy milk, so you can enjoy some delicious coffee drinks while visiting. Other snacks during the day include whole fruit, French fries, chips and salsa/guacamole, and vegetable sticks - most are available by the pool area.
CoCo Cafe, the on-site coffee and snack shop has soy milk, so you can enjoy some delicious coffee drinks while visiting. Other snacks during the day include whole fruit, French fries, chips and salsa/guacamole, and vegetable sticks - most are available by the pool area.
My husband and I had an incredible stay at Secrets Silversands, and would definitely return in the future. The staff couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating, and I ate quite a bit of great food while there. All-inclusives are not created equal, there is a reason why Secrets have so many return guests and so many great reviews. It's because of the vegan food!
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